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Travel insurance with a pacemaker

My "fit" wife unexpectedly had a pacemaker fitted in December to treat "heart block", has anyone found a good insurance supplier for this condition? Direct line, my existing supplier said they would not offer cover for this condition.

Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

MPI are pretty good with pre-existing conditions.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I have both heart block and a pacemaker, and I am using Ski Club insurance. There was an additional charge, but they seemed happy to provide cover.

I have a pacemaker because of 2nd degree, type 1 heart block (albeit asymptomatic) and have been covered for years by Nationwide, who appear to be a wrapper for Direct Line, for a small additional premium. However there are different types of heart blocks which might be an issue or it could be the timing because they like a period of stability before taking on the risk. Even Snowcard covered my pacemaker condition before they went completely to pot on the underwriting side of things.

The Nationwide house insurance is through RSA (they changed from Direct Line a year or so ago) but my Nationwide travel insurance is most certainly through Direct Line and we are currently in a claims process having gone through repatriation and preliminary medical costs reclaims.

Thanks all, when I went through the questionnaire with Direct Line this morning they didn't have "Heart Block" as an option so put down Bradycardia which is different. Her diagnosis was 1st degree heart block with intermittent 2nd degree heart block type 2.

I'll try with one of the other suggested insurers.

After all it is free

After all it is free

The ASDA insurance policy wanted a LOT less to cover my shoulder impingement than the ones that underwrite the Nationwide Flex plus account. Be worth trying them for a quote.

You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.

You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.

Thanks all, Asda significantly cheaper.

Ski Club quote for both of us for annual European cover - £203

Asda quote for both of us for annual European cover - £122

We normally have about 4 or 5 European trips per year so only a cost of about £12 to £15 person person per trip so no big deal.

Previously we had our travel insurance for free with our Direct Line home insurance which had about a £50 uplift over the basic policy cost, and they did pay out £500 for a weekend trip we had planned in December and had to cancel, so up to now their service was good.

Ski the Net with snowHeads

Ski the Net with snowHeads

@JimboS, yes I found same, plus gives you end supplier failure which a lot of policies don’t.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

There's a company called insurewith that offers insurance for a huge range of preexisting conditions.

And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.

And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.

We use Free Spirit travel insurance good for the family as my wife has both a pacemaker and also has epilepsy.

So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much

So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much

I think that insurance has been covered, but I do ski with someone with a pacemaker and the automatic gates in Tignes/VdI (therefore probably most places) all have no pacemaker symbols on them so she has to have a manual check of the pass, until the lefties recognise her. Maybe worth learning the local word for pacemaker. Quite handy for jumping the queue though!!!

You know it makes sense.

You know it makes sense.

@chocksaway, That's interesting, whereabouts is the sign ? These are the gates in Alpe d'Huez and never noticed it on them, but then was not looking for it.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I'll have to have a look, but they were only about the size of a little finger nail. I guess if you need to you look for them.

Poster: A snowHead

Poster: A snowHead

jtr wrote:

Hells Bells wrote:

Nationwide travel insurance is through Royal Sun Alliance.

The Nationwide house insurance is through RSA (they changed from Direct Line a year or so ago) but my Nationwide travel insurance is most certainly through Direct Line and we are currently in a claims process having gone through repatriation and preliminary medical costs reclaims.

Oops sorry, mixing up my home and travel policies, as I have both. My Nationwide home policy always used to be with LV= until recently.

Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

@chocksaway, Got me interested now I found this on an american ski resort website :-

Q:What about pacemakers?
Answer:JHMR Skidata lift access system is CE certified and complies with all standards. It was found that with the proper use of Skidata devices there is no danger for persons using pacemakers when passing hands free entry systems at the lift. However, for general reasons of precaution and compliance with the general requirements applicable, the general recommendations for using electromagnetic units should be observed and the following rules should be adhered to:

Guests with pacemakers should not wear their lift access media cards near the heart when passing through the gate and a distance of 8 to 12 inches should be observed in the case of queues and while passing through the gate.

If you prefer not to pass through the gate, please alert our validation staff at the lift and you will be given alternative direction for lift access.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

chocksaway wrote:

I think that insurance has been covered, but I do ski with someone with a pacemaker and the automatic gates in Tignes/VdI (therefore probably most places) all have no pacemaker symbols on them so she has to have a manual check of the pass, until the lefties recognise her. Maybe worth learning the local word for pacemaker. Quite handy for jumping the queue though!!!

There used to be a pacemaker warning sign on the readers at the old gondola station at Courchevel 1550. I don’t recollect seeing them at the new station. Personally, I don’t worry about them and have never had a problem with my pacemaker going through any lift readers. The chairlifts that have the magnets attached to the outer seats for the kids harnesses e.g. Aiguille du Fruit in Courchevel, are more of a potential problem although on the one occasion when I got caught out by this I just leant forward and all was OK (inverse square law and all that). As always, it is wise to check but I believe that modern pacemakers have an “interference” mode where they will pace at a pre-determined level e.g. 50 or 60 bpm until the interference is removed. I’ve only encountered this when it was tested in hospital by the technician putting a stuffing big magnet on top of the pacemaker. The feeling is pretty unmistakable.

My current pacemaker (my third) is MRI proof, although the heart leads are over 20 years old, so that is pretty academic.

[quote="chocksaway"I do ski with someone with a pacemaker and the automatic gates in Tignes/VdI (therefore probably most places) all have no pacemaker symbols on them so she has to have a manual check of the pass, until the lefties recognise her. Maybe worth learning the local word for pacemaker. Quite handy for jumping the queue though!!![/quote]

We've been there for 3/4 times recently and never noticed this I presume because my wife has the badger in her arm pocket he isn't close enough for it to make any difference.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Rob_Quads, I think if she has a badger in her pocket she has more to worry about

Just an update to my post about Nationwide/Direct Line travel insurance and my claims for earlier this year, I've been happy with the way they processed all of the claims and associated costs especially given that they all of the Flybe and latterly Covid-19 stuff going on, not to mention that one of their processing centres was also flooded. They handled the repatriation very well. One word of advice is to have all of your holiday details to hand e.g. tour operator, date booked, flights etc before making the initial call (I had copies of all of that stuff on my phone).

... (and the extra €2.90 per day for the slope rescue was well worth it and avoided any preliminary hassle before contacting the UK insurance company).

Boarded at Tigne last year and did not notice the "No pacemaker" signage on the lifts but no ill effects ! It does become second nature to not have a phone or access cards in your breast pocket anyhow and if you can work your way through the hassles of airport security then a ski-lift should be a doddle